Chapter 10: Bricks making complete

While moving towards the workers, Ang saw many men in black clothes carrying large boulders with ease. After seeing that, Ang said, "Hey Dan, we need to crush them into tiny chunks."

Dan saw it and replied, "Okay, young master." He then turned to the other warriors and commanded, "Crush them into tiny chunks." The warriors nodded, used their qi, and crushed the rocks.

The surrounding workers, witnessing the warriors crush the stones with such ease, became more frightened. They thought, "If they can crush rocks like that, what about humans?" Goosebumps formed on their skin, and they worked even faster.

Ang then looked around and saw soil freshly dug from the ground, rock chunks, large rocks, water in many buckets, and wood delivered recently.

Pretending to inspect them, Ang asked Vincel through thought, "Hey Vincel, can you tell me the easiest way to make bricks?"

Vincel replied, "Certainly,. Here are the steps to make bricks:

1. Gather Materials: You'll need clay, water, sand, and straw.

2. Prepare the Clay: Find a location with clay-rich soil, dig out the clay, and remove large stones or debris.

3. Mix the Clay: In a large pit or container, mix the clay with water until it reaches a thick, muddy consistency.

4. Add Sand and Straw: Gradually add sand to the clay mixture to improve the brick's strength and prevent cracking. Mix thoroughly. Add straw or any fibrous material to help bind the bricks together and add durability.

5. Form the Bricks: Create a wooden mold in the shape of the desired brick size. Place the mold on a flat surface, fill it with the clay mixture, and press it down firmly to remove air pockets. Smooth the surface with a flat tool.

6. Dry the Bricks: Carefully remove the mold and let the formed bricks dry in the sun. This process can take several days to weeks, depending on the climate. Turn the bricks occasionally to ensure even drying.

7. Fire the Bricks: Once the bricks are completely dry, fire them in a kiln to harden. Stack the dried bricks in a simple kiln made from clay and stones. Build a fire underneath or around the kiln, maintaining a high temperature for several hours to a few days, depending on the kiln and fuel used. This process will harden the bricks, making them strong and durable.

8. Cool and Store: Allow the fired bricks to cool slowly. Once cooled, they are ready to be used in construction.

This method should help you create strong, durable bricks with the resources available to you."

Ang asked, "Hmm, but what is straw and mold?"

Vincel explained, "Straw is the dried stalks of cereal plants like wheat or rice after the grain has been removed. It's fibrous and lightweight, which helps bind the clay together and adds strength to the bricks. You can find straw easily in agricultural areas or request it from local farmers. As for the mold, a mold is a frame or container used to shape the clay mixture into uniform bricks. You can make a mold out of wood, which is simple and practical."

Understanding the process, Ang, with Vincel's guidance and the help of the workers, created 100 bricks. He told Dan to bake them, and a few hours later, the bricks were ready.

Ang said, "Finally, the bricks are made. See, Dan?"

Dan replied, "Yes, young master."

One of the workers, looking nervous, approached Ang and said, "Sir, may I speak?"

Noticing the worker's fear, Ang said, "Fear not, tell me what you want to say."

The worker, named Seng, said, "Sir, the bricks you made... umm," and he glanced at Dan.

Seeing this, Ang said, "Dan, don't do anything without my permission."

Dan responded, "Okay, young master."

Seng continued, "Sir, these bricks look exactly or I cannot see the full brick but they have the same shape and they also used to make houses and it exactly looks alike like emperor bricks and no one in the continent have the permission except some people to Export bricks without their permission and they charge much money than we just see the making of bricks ,it have a very large difference.No one in the continent has permission to export bricks without the emperor's consent, and they charge much more . There's a significant difference."

Ang, confused, said, "Wait, wait, wait... emperor bricks? What is that?"

Seng, shocked but observing Ang, said, "Sir, you are too young to know about the emperor bricks. These special bricks are given to rich people to build their houses. They are very costly, and only a few people have the power to buy and sell them with permission from the Emperor of this province. The current trade under the emperor is managed by the Seong Merchant Association."

Ang said, "Seong Merchant Association? Hmm... What about the Ling Merchant Association?"

Dan turned his head towards Ang, as if to say, "It's only day one, young master, but you want to run from here too." He tried to ask but couldn't because he knew his voice might spread.

Seng said, "I haven't heard much, but the Ling Merchant Association is a central merchant association. The Seong Merchant Association has a side trade, and they also have permission to trade through the Beresik Mountain."

Ang said, "Beresik Mountain?"

Dan couldn't control himself and said, "Forget about this, master. It has nothing to do with us. We can only make our house and nothing else."

Ang looked at Dan, thought for a moment, and said, "Okay, Dan. Sorry for troubling you. You can make the house if you want to, and hide the bricks."

The workers felt dissatisfied because they had worked hard for nothing but couldn't say anything. They knew if they spoke out, they might be buried there without anyone knowing. They had seen the warriors crush rocks like paper and lift large rocks and knew they were like ants that could be crushed at any time.

Ang said, "Now... let's check the other remaining boxes."